'A Pressing Global Issue': Behind Diasporic Studies Gift at SF State

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

INSIDE PHILANTHROPY -- San Francisco State University recently received a $5-million gift from alumna Neda Nobari to establish the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies. The center aims to be a platform for new academic programs that foster intellectual engagement with local and global Iranian communities across different disciplines. The Neda Nobari Distinguished Chair at the center will create a “vigorous, dynamic and fresh approach to the study of and research about Iranian diaspora communities, their development, contributions to host societies and impact on Iranian identity.”
While the study of the Iranian diaspora might seem rather specific, Nobari’s gift can also be seen within a broader context. As she puts it, “Mass migration is one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century. It’s also an opportunity to learn.”